One of NASA’s two astronauts who piloted the ill-fated Boeing Starliner crew capsule has retired from the house company, less than five months after his unexpectedly lengthy spaceflight got here to an finish.
NASA introduced Butch Wilmore’s departure on August 6.
Wilmore and Suni Williams launched final summer time as take a look at pilots on Boeing’s first astronaut flight. What ought to have been a weeklong journey to the International Space Station changed into a keep of extra than 9 months due to Boeing’s malfunctioning Starliner. Starliner got here again empty, and Wilmore and Williams returned to Earth in March with SpaceX.
Wilmore, 62, had already retired from the Navy. Williams, 59, additionally a retired Navy captain, continues to be with NASA. She joined Second Lady Usha Vance at Johnson Space Center in Houston earlier this week, collaborating in a summer time studying problem for schoolchildren.
Selected as an astronaut in 2000, Wilmore logged 464 days in orbit over three missions. His ultimate spaceflight made up practically two-thirds of that whole: 286 days.
“Throughout his career, Butch has exemplified the technical excellence of what is required of an astronaut,” NASA’s chief astronaut Joe Acaba said in a statement. “As he steps into this new chapter, that same dedication will no doubt continue to show in whatever he decides to do next.”
